Ventilating device



June 15, 1965 E. c. HALLocK v 3,188,938

VENTILATING DEVICE Filed June 12, 1963 lo 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOREDWYRD C.HALLOCK June l5, 1965 Filed June 12. 196s E. C. HALLOCKVENTILATING DEVIGE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Il" 0 l' /5 I I' Z6 FIGA. 4Z 1' 4o2,4 29 38 3 j I4 34 3222 32 {In} 6 Il] L0 26 l I 1 l5 F |G.5.

32 z2 ze 32 1 /14 I, 4a #M44 HH l( l Q ff' +8 -so Ig-42 Elm 52o 38 @42z/4m 32 INVENTOR EDWARD C. HALLOCK HIS ATTORNEYS if member and thesupport plates, a coating United States Patent Otce dii Patented .June15, 1965 3,188,938 VENTHLATING DEVICE Edward C. Hallock, 85 WoodlandAve., Summit, Nail. Filed .lune l2, 1963, Ser. No. 2$7,252 6 Claims.(Cl. gS--IZD This invention relates to Ventilating devices and, moreparticularly, to an improved method of fabricating ventilating devicesof the type suitable for installation in masonry or concrete walls, andto an improved ventilating device.

In the construction of interior partitions and exterior walls in closedspaces in buildings such as basements, crawl spaces, attics, and thelike, a number of types of small Ventilating devices have been employedto prevent moisture from accumulating and for cooling or air circulationintake. Known forms of Ventilating devices, for example, simple grilleplates, box-like ventilators having perforated front surfaces, orSomewhat more elaborate cast ventilators, have been fabricated fromsheet metal or have been made by casting. As so constructed, sheet metalventilators require the provision of a suitable opening in the Wall witha lintel used to support the wall above the opening. The ventilator orgrille plate is then installed in the opening. Presently known castVentilators, while having the advantage of being of sufficient strengthto support the wall structure above the ventilator, have substantiallimitations inherent in casting methods. For example, casting restrictsthe size and geometry of the ventilator and limits the amount of freearea for the openings. Also, cast metals are generally weak and brittle,making them subject to cracking, contain structural defects occurringduring manufacture, and are relatively poorly adapted t-o receivelinishes, such as anodizing or baked enamel.

These and other disadvantages and limitations of known forms ofVentilating devices are overcome in accordance with the invention by anovel and improved method of fabricating a modular Ventilating device ofthe type suitable for direct installation in masonry or concrete walls.More particularly, a Ventilating device is produced by the extrusion ofa channel-shaped member of predetermined configuration, formingapertures in the front side or web of the channel member, andselectively mounting transverse support plates between its top andbottom ilanges. The support plates may also be extruded and have bossesformed on one or on both sides for receiving fasteners from the ilangesof the channel member and for contributing to the structural rigidity ofthe ventilator. In order to simplify fabrication of a wide variety ofdifferent sized ventilators and substantially reduce the cost ofproduction, the channel member and the support plates may becontinuously extruded, in accordance with well known extrusiontechniques, and then may be selectively cut oit at the appropriatelengths. Suitable louvered apertures may be formed in the web of theextruded channel member, for example, by slitting the web and pressingthe slit portions into the space between the flanges. The support platesare then placed in position between the flanges and attached thereto.

It is often desirable to install a screen in the Ventilating device toprevent the entry of insects, small animals and the like into thebuilding, and advantageously, the screen may be installed, in accordancewith the invention, behind the web of the channel member adjacent t; capertures and held in place by the bosses on the support plates, therebyeliminating the necessity of other fastening means to retain the screen.Further, in order to prevent moisture from seeping through the jointsbetween the channel of a suitable sealing compound may be applied at thejoints.

The method of the invention is readily adaptable to the use of materialssuch as bronze or aluminum, which have the desirable characteristics oflight weight, corrosion resistance, attractive tinish, and highstrength.

The sturdy construction of the Ventilating device of the inventionrenders it useful as an integral structural portion of a wall, therebyaffording a substantial reduction in the cost of installation inasmuchas it is unnecessary to construct a reinforced opening in the wall, asis normally required with the present types. Installation isparticularly elcient in brick or concrete block walls, since theVentilating device may be of modular size and merely set in place in acourse of brick or block, and the adjacent bricks or blocks laid aroundit. For installation in concrete walls, the Ventilating device may bebuilt into the wall forms and concrete poured around it. A Ventilatingdevice, in accordance with the invention, is preferably formed with ribsextending longitudinally along the outer faces of the ilanges of thechannel members to secure the Ventilating device in a masonry joint orin concrete. Also, the transverse location of the ribs on the upper andlower flanges, respectively, may be arranged to provide interlockingbetween two 0r more vertically stacked ventilating devices.

he use of extruded members together with only a minimum of assemblysteps enables considerable savings in the cost of production. Animportant advantage of the method is that the Ventilating devices mayreadily be formed in any desired length, advantageously, in multiples ofthe length of a brick or a block, by cutting the continuous extrusion tothe desired length and installing transverse plates at appropriateintervals. Extrusion enables the fabrication of Ventilating deviceshaving superior strength properties, better appearance, greateradaptability to finishes and more free Ventilating area than presentlyknown types.

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be hadto the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying figures of the drawing, in which:

FIGURE l is a front elevational view of a portion of an exemplaryembodiment of a Ventilating device installed in a wall, in accordancewith the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top View of the Ventilating device of FlG. l with a portionof the upper fiange of the channel member cut away in a sectional viewtaken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of thearrows;

FIG. 3 is an end View in section taken along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2 andlooking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a partial View in vertical section showing an interlockingarrangement between stacked Ventilating devices aiiorded by thetransverse location of longitudinal ribs on the iianges of the channelmember;

FIG. 5 is an end View in section similar to FIG. 3 of the Ventilatingdevice illustrating a clip for holding a screen in place; and

FIG. 6 is a partial plan View in section illustrating the clip of FIG.5, taken generally along the line 6 6 of FIG. 5.

The Ventilating device lil, installed in a wall 12, includes a channelmember i4, having a web 18 and iianges 22 and 24, extruded from asuitable material, such as aluminum, in accordance with well knowntechniques. The channel member i4 is severed or cut to an appropriatelength from a continuous extrusion, either before or after forming theapertures 15 and the louvered slats '16.

A plurality lof elongated apertures i5 are formed in the web 13 of thechannel member I4, for example, -by cutting or slitting the web 1S -toform elongated louvered slats 16 which are pushed back into the spacebetween the llanges 22 and 24 at a suitable angle to the plane of theweb i3?. The apertures 15 are'more readily and neat.

annessa ly formed in the web i5 if their ends Aare'cut so as'toTransverse plates 26 are selectively installed betwee p the anges'ZZ and24 and adjacent the ends of the channel member 14, Vfor example, by oneor more screws 28 inserted through Suitable Iopenings in the flangesZZand 24 and engaged by hook-like integrally with the plates Z6. Thebosses 3d eliminate the necessity of providing clips or other fasteningmeans, or of welding to secure the transverse plates 26 in the channelmember i4. Advantageously, the plates 26 may also be extruded from thesame material as `the channel member 14. In addition to serving asconvenient receiving means for the screws 28, the bossesil also increasethe ilexural rigidity of the plates 26, thus adding strength to theVentilating device lil and eliminating the need for special supportmeans such as lintels in the lwall in which the Ventilating device libis to be used.

As aforementioned, the Ventilating device itl may be made in any desiredlength. When necessary, intermediate transverse support plates 27 maybeinstailed atappropriate intervals alongthe channel member 14intermediate the ends, requirements for the Ventilatingrdevice.Advantageously, the intermediate plates 27 may have bosses 33 and Btlextruded on broth sides, thereby adding greatly to `their bosses 3i),preferably formed f l0,

the spacing depending on the strength,

Yin place in units in which the transverse pla-tes 26 are spacedratherifar apart and the bosses 3d do not secure the screen in thefdevice as completely as desired. The clip'44 is fabricated from a stripyby bending the ends to lform a U-s'hape. The clipilf is installed inthe device so that its base dbears against the .screen and the ends of Ytherlegsfdb and Si) are engaged, respectively, by the downstandingflange at the end of the upper ange 22 of the channel lmember 1li and bytheupstanding flange 3S at the end Iof the lower flange 24.

Thus there is provided, in accordance withthe invention, a method 'ofmaking Ventilating devices which involves the assembly ofvonly two basicextruded parts, the channel member and the transverse plates. Further,the absence of any intricate assembly procedures, such as welding,attaching clips, screws, bolts or the like reduces 'the time and laborinvolved and, consequently, the exstrengthy and also affording aretaining means to hold a screen i2 in place, as described in moredetail hereinafter. The Ventilating device 10 may have a number of setsof apertures 15 and slats i6 formed therein, and spaced from cach otherby a solid transverse portion 19 of y"the web ib, thereby enablingtheintermediate plates 27, which extend laterally across the flanges 22 and24, to rbear against the inside of the web 1S ofthe channel member i4.

In accordance with the invention, t-he channel ymember 14 may be formedwith longitudinal ribs 32 extending along the outer surfaces of theflanges 22. and 24 to secure the Ventilating device it) firmly in mortarjointsk 33 in a masonrywall or in a concrete wall. Additionally, theribsr 32 strengthen the flanges 22 and 24. Additionally; as shown in FG.4, the transverse locations of the ribs 32 on the upper and lower angesZZand 24 may, respectively, be arranged for interlocking two ormorevertically stacked ventilatingdevices, thus eliminating the need forfasteners between them,V Y

The extruded channel member i4 may also include an upper drip molding 34to prevent water runningdown the wall of the building from entering theVentilating device 1t) and a lower drip molding 36 to prevent leakage atthe joint between the lower flange 24 and the wall l2. The upper andVlower faces of the upper and lower drip moldings 34 and 36,respectively, may be mated, so as to afford further interlocking betweenthe devices 10, and also to present a neater appearance when stacked, asillnstrated'in FG. 4. Y

Y ln the event that water does enter the Ventilating device l0, anupstanding edge of the lower ange Z4 of the channel Will serve as a darnto Vprevent water from Ydraining from the Ventilating device it@ rintothe building, and water trapped by the flange 38 maybe drained outthrough one or more drain ports 40 located at the Ibottom of -th'eweb18. The drain ports 49 may be stamped intothe web during the forming ofthe apertures 15. K

Birds, insects, or other creatures may be prevented from entering thebuilding through the Ventilating device'by installing a screen 42 acrossthe back edges of the slats. i6. The screen may be box-like with itssides bearing against the interior Walls of the Ventilator andl can beheld -in place by the bosses `3i) and 3thl thus eliminating the theassembly of ther flange 33 extending along the back Y member i4' penseof manufacture. Alventilating device, made by the method of theinvention, includes a number of features not heretofore feasible inventilators made by presently known methods lThe method also enables thefabrication of a wide VVariety of Ventilating ,devices of substantiallength `vcapable of being readily installed as an integral structuralportionwof a wall and having the advantages of greater free Ventilatingarea, improved appearance and adaptability to Abetter finishes. i

it will be understood by those skilled in the art that theVabove-described method and embodiment of a ventilating dev-ice'are meantto be merely exemplary and are susceptible,of'variationand modificationwithout departing from the spirit kand scope of the invention.Therefore, the invention is not deemed to be limited except as definedin the appendedV claims.

l claim: Y

il. The method "of fabricating a" Ventilating device, comprising thesteps of extruding an elongated channel member of predetermined lengthhaving a web, an upper flange extending ylaterally from one edge of saidweb at a substantially right angle thereto, a lower llange extendingfromthe opposite edge of said web and lying Vsubstantially parallel to saidupper flange, said upper and lower flanges extendinglongitudinally withsaid web, a

' said upper and lower flanges; forming a plurality of clongated. slatslin said web of said channel member; pressing saidrslats into the Vspacebetween said upper and lower anges and at an angle and intlouveredrelation to said web; forming at least one drain port in said webadjacent said lower langejV extruding a member having at least onelongitudinalV hook-likeY boss projecting from one side thereof; severingsaid extruded member in predetermined lengths to form a pluralityoftransverse' plates; inserting a respective one of said transverseplates into the space between said upper and lower lianges and adjacenteach Y end of said channel member'and in contact with said upper andlowerianges and said web to form the end Walls of said Ventilatingdevice; and securing said transverse plates to said channelfrnember byinserting fasteners through rsaid. upper and lower flanges. yinto saidlongitudinal hook-like bosses. t

j 2. The method of fabricating a Ventilating device, comprising theVsteps of yextruding a continuous elongated channel having a web, anupper flange extending laterally Ifrom one edge of said web at an anglethereto, and a Y lower flange extending from the other Vedge of said webandrlying in substantially parallel relation to said upper iiange;severing said channel at a predetermined length to form a channelVmember; forming a plurality of elongated slats in said web of saidchannel member; pressing said slats into the space between said upperand lower flanges and at an angle and in louvered relation to said web;ext-ruding a member having at least one longitudinal boss projectingfrom one side thereof, the boss defining a longitudinal slot forreceiving fasteners; severing said extruded member in predeterminedlengths to form a plurality of transverse plates; inserting a respectiveone of said transverse plates into the space between said upper andlower flanges and adjacent each end of said channel member and incontact with said upper and lower flanges and said web to form the endwalls of said Ventilating device; and inserting fasteners through saidupper and lower flanges of said channel member into said bosses tosecure said transverse plates to said channel member.

3. A- Ventilating device, comprising an elongated extruded channelmem-ber having a web, an upper flange extending laterally from one edgeof said web at an angle thereto, a lower flange extending from the otheredge of said web and lying generally parallel to said upper flange, saidupper and lower flanges extending longitudinally with said web, aplurality of spaced-apart longitudinally extending elongated aperturesformed in the web and longitudinally extending slat means for each ofthe elongated apertures formed integr-ally with said web and connectedalong one side thereof and extending inwardly relative to said channelmember at an angle to the plane of said web; a transverse plate mountedadjacent each end of said channel member, each of said transverse plateshaving a boss extending along the inner surface thereof and alignedgenerally perpendicular to the flanges, said bosses defining slots forreceiving fasteners; and fastener means inserted through said upper andlower flanges of said channel member and into said boss slots forfastening said transverse plates to said channel member.

4. A Ventilating device as claimed in claim 3, in which said upper andlower flanges have a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs on theouter surfaces thereof to facilitate mounting said Ventilating device ina wall.

5. A Ventilating device as claimed in claim 4, in which at least two ofsaid ribs are transversely positioned on said upper and lower flanges soas to provide interlocking contact along their edges when the devicesare vertically stacked.

6. A Ventilating device, comprising an elongated extruded channel memberhaving a web, an upper flange extending laterally from one edge of saidweb at a substantially right angle thereto, and a lower flange extendingfrom the opposite edge of said web and lying substantially parallel tosaid upper flange, said upper and lower flanges extending longitudinallywith said web, said web having a plurality of spaced-apartlongitudinally extending elongated apertures formed therein, at leastone drain port in said web adjacent said lower flange, a shortupstanding flange extending along and at an angle to the edge of saidlower flange opposite the edge where said lower flange joins said web,projecting drip moldings extending longitudinally along and outwardlyfrom the corners of said channel member formed by the joinder of saidweb and said flanges, and a plurality of ribs extending longitudinallyalong the outer surfaces of said upper and lower flanges; and aplurality of transverse plates respectively mounted in and adjacent therespective ends of said channel member and forming therewith the end-Walls of the Ventilating device.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,178,253 10/39Fader 98--l21 X 2,780,978 2/57 Peirson 98--121 X 2,954,727 10/60 Katt98-37 X 3,051,071 8/6-2 Leigh 98-37 3,086,442 4/63 Waldron 98-1213,120,036 2/64 Minds 98-121 X 3,120,883 2/64 Greiling 98-121 X ROBERT A.OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

1. THE METHOD OF FABRICATING A VENTILATING DEVICE, COMPRISING THE STEPSOF EXTRUDING AN ELONGATED CHANNEL MEMBER OF PREDETERMINED LENGTH HAVINGA WEB, AN UPPER FLANGE EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM ONE EDGE OF SAID WEB ATA SUBSTANTIALLY RIGHT ANGLE THERETO, A LOWER FLANGE EXTENDING FROM THEOPPOSITE EDGE OF SAID WEB AND LYING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID UPPERFLANGE, SAID UPPER AND LOWER FLANGES EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY WITH SAIDWEB, A SHORT UPSTANDING FLANGE EXTENDING ALONG AND PERPENDICULAR TO THEEDGE OF SAID LOWER FLANGE OPPOSITE THE EDGE WHERE SAID LOWER FLANGEJOINS SAID WEB, PROJECTING DRIP MOLDINGS EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY ALONGAND OUTWARDLY FROM THE CORNERS OF SAID CHANNEL MEMBER FORMED BY THEJOINDERS OF SAID WEB AND SAID FLANGES, AND A PLURALITY OF RIBS EXTENDINGLONGITUDINALLY ALONG THE OUTER SURFACES OF SAID UPPER AND LOWER FLANGES;FORMING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED SLATS INTO THE WEB OF SAID CHANNELMEMBER; PRESSING SAID SLATS INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID UPPER AND LOWERFLANGES AND AT AN ANGLE AND IN LOUVERED RELATION TO SAID WEB; FORMING ATLEAST ONE DRAIN PORT IN SAID WEB ADJACENT SAID LOWER FLANGE; EXTRUDING AMEMBER HAVING AT LEAST ONE LONGITUDINAL HOOK-LIKE BOSS PROJECTING FROMONE SIDE THEREOF; SEVERING SAID EXTRUDED MEMBER IN PREDETERMINED LENGTHSTO FORM A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSE PLATES; INSERTING A RESPECTIVE ONE OFSAID TRANSVERSE PLATES INTO THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID UPPER AND LOWERFLANGES AND ADJACENT EACH END OF SAID CHANNEL MEMBER AND IN CONTACT WITHSAID UPPER AND LOWER FLANGES AND SAID WEB TO FORM THE END WALLS OF SAIDVENTILATING DEVICE; AND SECURING SAID TRANSVERSE PLATES TO SAID CHANNELMEMBER BY INSERTING FASTENERS THROUGH SAID UPPER AND LOWER FLANGES INTOSAID LONGITUDINAL HOOK-LIKE BOSSES.